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Here are the latest updates for ceressecrets.auto@blogger.com  One thing I really miss about living in Florida, are the orange trees that grew like weeds almost anywhere they were planted. I loved the way the orange groves would perfume the the air every spring when they were in bloom, and it was always a treat to be able to pick and eat the fruit when it was at it’s peak. I will never forget the time myself and the other neighborhood children, could no longer resist the bright orange spheres slowly ripening on a local farmers trees. Completely disobeying our parents orders, we snuck into the orange grove, hid in the trees, and struggled to remove the peel from a few stolen pieces of fruit. Our hearts raced as we did so and we were sure that any minute, we would be chased off the land by the sound of shot guns… Luckily, we never were caught, but we did not unnecessarily go unpunished either as our lips burned for hours from the taste of the under ripe fruit. It was something we never did again… Years later, my husband and I were lucky enough to live in a carriage house situated on a plot of land that was home to several orange trees. During the picking season, it was a morning ritual of mine, to head down to the orange trees at dawn with a basket, which I used to fill up with the ripest and most beautiful fruit I could find. When my basket was full, I would take them inside and use all of them to make tall freshly squeezed glasses of orange juice which both myself and my husband would drink as if it were the nectar of the gods. I will never forget how decadent those mornings were. There were often more oranges than we could use, so they were often shared with friends, family, and were preserved to hold us through till the next crop. Back then I discovered that fresh squeezed citrus juices freeze really well. It was a labor of love, but before the season was over we were usually able to freeze several large Ziploc freezer bags full of it. When there was a bumper crop we were sometimes able to save enough to last us for several months. Canning homemade jams, jellies, preserves, and marmalades, is also a great way to preserve and extend the seasonality of your favorite fruits, so their flavors maybe enjoyed long after the growing season is over. Inspired by the sweet floral flavors of the Meyer Lemons and the colorful raspberry-like fruitiness of the Blood Oranges that are in season right now, I decided to try my hand making marmalade. I was in turn rewarded with 5 pint jars full of pure sunshine perfect for extending the season for Meyer Lemons and Blood Oranges as I use them in both my cooking and baking projects through out the year. Buying and Storing Citrus When buying citrus, look for fruit that looks fresh, seems heavy for it’s size, and is firm to the touch. Avoid any citrus that has skin that seems shriveled, dry, or moldy. Most citrus will keep at room temperature for several days, but will keep much longer if stored, in the refrigerator. Meyer Lemon and Blood Orange Marmalade Preparation Checklist As a first time canner, I would often read through canning recipes and procedures feeling a bit confused about the order of the process, timing, and organization of my equipment and ingredients. I would read my Ball Blue Book of Preserving and worry that my timing would be off and that the water in my water bath canner would not be ready at the same time that my jam was or that my jars would be cool by the time I needed them. For a first time canner, I will admit that I found the timing and preparation to be a bit overwhelming… I have since found that as with many recipes, canning can be a breeze if all of your ingredients and equipment has been prepped a head of time. Making sure your equipment is clean, sterile, and in good condition before preparing any of the ingredients is crucial to safe canning and the explicit following of directions will help further insure success. As with all things, practice makes perfect and the process will become easier each time as you become more familiar, with the technique, process, and organizational methods that work best for you and the space that you will be working in. Listed below the recipe, is my personal checklist that I followed for this recipe. I truly hope that it will inspire confidence in the beginning canner as well as help an established canner streamline the steps of this recipe. As with all major culinary projects, I have found that working my way down a check list keeps me from forgetting important steps, makes the task much less stressful, and definitely more enjoyable, but most of all, it insures a greater chance of success. I truly hope it does for you as well if you decide to try your own hand at making my Meyer Lemon and Blood Orange Marmalade. - Read through the Complete Guide to Home Canning, Guide 1, Principals of Home Canning, Guide 7, Preparing and Canning Jams and Jellies, and Information from the National Center of Home Canning.
- In canning cleanliness is king, so before canning, it is a good idea to clean and organize your kitchen fairly well, so you may best utilize the space. Be sure to clear out any clutter and wash and put away any dishes that might be out on the counter or in the dishwasher.
- Thoroughly wash and dry all equipment that will be used. While doing this, set the dishwasher to Heated Dry, run canning jars and bands through the dishwasher to be both washed and dried. To keep the jars hot, continue turn the dial back to Heated Dry once the jars have already been cycled once. This will insure they are hot and dry when needed.
- Fill Water Bath Canner with water until half full, cover and set on large burner of the stove. Fill a Kettle with water, so it will be ready to be brought to a boil in the event that extra water is needed to cover the jars as they are processed.
- Fill a medium saucepan with water and cover with a lid. This will later be used to the boil water used for keeping the lids sterile and hot. This is a good time to read over the manufacturer’s instructions concerning the lids.
- Set up an area as close to the dishwasher as possible with all of the items you will need to fill, and cap the jars. I like to lay down a clean dishtowel, and place all of the items (metal skimmer, canning funnel, ladle, bubble freer, folded paper towels for wiping lids, lid wand, and jar lifter) I will be needing on top of it, it the general order they will be used. To the right of the dish towel, I set a trivet where the large saucepan full of marmalade will be placed once removed from the stove. To the right of it, I will set a bowl and a skimmer, for quickly removing the foam from the jam immediately after removing from the stove and right before filling the jars. On the opposite side of the towel, I will set the clean lids and another trivet, so I have a place to set the medium saucepan of boiling water. The lids will go in the saucepan right before I remove my jam from the stove and begin to fill my jars.
- At this point, I will check the dishwasher cycle to make sure that it is not finished with the Heated Dry Cycle. If it is, I will turn the knob back, so this last cycle will begin again. Depending on the difficulty of the recipe, I have found that I might have to cycle the jars through this last cycle a few times.
- Bring water in water bath canner, med sauce pot (for lids), and tea kettle full of water to a boil. As they are heating on the stove, begin to prep all of your ingredients. Chances are, the water will come all come to a boil before you actually need it, so turn the heat down to a low simmer as you continue to prepare your ingredients and or follow the recipe.
Meyer Lemon and Blood Orange Marmalade 5 Cups of Sugar 1/8 Tsp. Butter 1 1/2 Cups of Water 2 Medium oranges 1 Medium Size Blood Orange 1 Large Regular Lemon 1 Large Meyer Lemon 1/8 Tsp. Baking Soda 1 Pouch of Liquid Pectin such as Sure Jell (The pectin used by my Great Aunts for many years) - Measure sugar into a bowl, top with 1/8 Tsp. butter, cover, and set aside.
- Pour water in a large saucepan, cover with a lid and set aside.
- Using a zester, carefully remove zest from all of the fruit and place in the large saucepan, stir into the water, cover with the lid and set aside. Try not to remove any of the white part, known as the pith, as it will give your marmalade a bitter flavor.
- Segment and chop all of the fruit, catching their juices in a non reactive bowl. (Be sure to remove all pits.) Cover bowl of fruit and juices and set aside.
- Add baking soda to water and zest. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium low, cover, and simmer for 2o minutes.
- As the zest simmers for 20 minutes, it is a good time to check the dishwasher cycle to be sure it is still on heated dry, re-read instructions for filling and sealing jars, and it is a good time to wash, dry, and put away all dirty dishes used so far.
- Place Liquid Pectin Pouch standing up in a glass measuring cup and cut off the top of the pouch using clean scissors. Set the pectin near the simmering zest, so it will be handy, when ready to use.
- As soon as the zest mixture is done simmering, turn the heat up to high and add the fruit, juice, sugar, and mix well.
- Bring water in the water bath canner, tea kettle, and small sauce pan back to a heavy rolling boil.
- Quickly remove small saucepan full of boiling water from the stove and place on a trivet. Place clean lids in the water, cover, and allow to rest, until ready to use. Turn heat under tea kettle down to medium low.
- Bring jam to a heavy rolling boil that will continue even as mixture is stirred. Reduce heat to medium or medium low so mixture is bubbling gently. Continue to stir as mixture simmers for 8 minutes.*It is very important to stir constantly so mixture will not burn.
- Turn heat back up to high and bring mixture back up to a rapid boil for 1 minute.
- Add pectin and bring mixture back up to a boil, stirring constantly for 1 more minute.
- Remove marmalade from the heat, set on trivet, and quickly skim off any foam with a metal skimmer.
- Remove 1 hot jar from the dishwasher, place funnel on top of jar, and ladle marmalade into jar, being sure to leave 1/4 th of an inch head space. Remove the funnel, use bubble freer to remove bubbles from jar, slightly wet the clean paper towels with water and use to wipe any jam from the top of the jar. Using lid wand, remove 1 lid from the small saucepan of water, line up and place on top of the jar and screw band on, making sure the band is not too tight.
- Lift canning rack; latch onto sides of canner, and using jar lifter, place jar of marmalade on the rack.
- Continue this process till all jars are full and are resting lid side up on the rack. The jars should all be half covered with boiling water at this point.
- Gently lower rack in to the boiling water. The jars should be covered with 1 - 2 inches of water. If more water is needed, pour boiling water from tea kettle into the water bath canner at this point.
- Bring water in water bath canner to a boil and process the jars for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, begin to clean up the kitchen and set down a dish towel to place under the hot processed jars of marmalade while they cool. (Setting hot jars on a cool surface may cause them to shatter.)
- Turn off the heat, remove the lid, and allow the pot to cool for 5 minutes.
- Lift canning rack, latch onto sides of canner, carefully remove jars one by one with the jar lifter, and place 1 - 2 inches apart of the clean dish towel. Do not tilt jars to remove water from the lid as this may effect the seal. The water will easily evaporate from the heat of the jar.
- Listen for and count the pings, the sound that the jars make as they seal.
- Allow jars to sit for 24 hours before removing bands and checking lids to be sure they are sealed.
- Store homemade marmalade in a cool dark place such as a basement for up to 1 year.
Yields: 5 half pint jars full of pure sunshine.
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Here are the latest updates for ceressecrets.auto@blogger.com  “Safekeeping the Earth’s goods, preserving them for the future is an act of faith. Living the natural life is man’s pledge to be faithful to the Earth.” ~Grace Firth One of the pleasures of living in a small town is that there is almost always an old sleepy public library not too far away and it is often within it that you will encounter the richest treasures. Nestled deep in the shelves you will find, old books that are no longer in print, the pages long ago yellowed, some of them dog eared and often marked with the thoughts or ideas of a previous reader. Entranced by their romanticism, I often fill my basket with several, to later bring home and marvel over in more detail later on. Last week, while browsing the shelves in search of some canning books, I was delighted to have found an old book called, Living The Natural Life ~By Grace Firth (Published by Simon and Schuster in 1974). Skimming through the pages, I was immediately entranced with the writer’s whimsical recollections of her family’s own journey towards a more simple and self sustainable life style. When the author, Grace Firth, her husband, and their 3 small children moved into the suburbs of Washington, D.C., they did so by building a cabin, by hand and with out the luxury of power tools, on 50 Acres of land. This endeavor readily drew them into a more natural way of living as they became familiar with and more in tuned to their land. Full of techniques, memoirs, and directions, the book reads much like the heirloom oral histories passed on to us by our loved ones who not too long ago lived symbiotically with the land that sustained them. Nothing is wasted, nothing is taken for granted, and even the most simple things are to be savored and respected. Living The Natural Life includes suggestions for curing meat, sausage making, foraging for tea, home brewing, pickling, cheese making, potting food, canning, bread baking, dehydrating, nut preserving, candying fruit, and above all safe keeping the Earth for the future generation of all things. One of my favorite passages in the book caused me to recall a recent dinner I had made during my father’s last visit. When asked what was for dinner, I casually mentioned to him that we would be having organic roasted chicken, potatoes and my southern style green beans. Laughing, my Dad recalled a time in his childhood, when his summers were spent visiting Portuguese relatives out on Rhode Island. A time when all chickens were organic and the first few lines of the recipe always included be-heading the chicken, hanging it from a clothes line, and plucking the feathers. On my mother’s side, my grandmother and great aunts all recall the same thing, but those memories have long ago been shelved, where they have gathered dust, their vivid details long ago faded into the past. Before reading the following passage I could never really envision it… Yet, with Grace’s dynamic recollection of the task, I found my imagination was transported to a time and place when I did not yet exist, when my older relatives were once young and vibrant with life. For a moment, I could envision them ceasing from playing, as they observed with the curiosity of a child, just one thread of many that made up the quintessential fabric of the old fashioned life… “My Grandmother had no patience for people or hens who did not do their job. If one of her hens fell down on the egg making job, Grandma potted her. After carefully determining who was and who was not, laying, Grandma snatched the wayward hen from he roost at night and put the sleepy creature in a crate. The following morning she heated a tea kettle of water to boiling and, armed with a hatchet, marched to the killing spot between the garages. There she poured the hot water into a five-gallon can, grabbed the hen, slipped it’s head between two upright nails in the chopping block, stretched it’s neck and whop! With one motion, she half-hitched a short rope around one of the chicken’s legs, and hung the bird upside down against the garage, holding the neck for a minute so there would be no splatter. Next, she submerged the chicken into the hot water for one minute , then rehung the wet bird by one foot and plucked it’s feathers, starting at it’s legs and plucking downward towards the neck. Clean breast feathers were tucked into a burlap sack nearby (for pillow stuffing) and the old tough feathers went into a bag for disposal. From time to time she rinsed her hands in water because feathers stick like crazy, After pulling out any pin feathers with a blunt knife, Grandma washed the feet and brought the plucked hen to the kitchen to singe off the hairs over the cook-stove fire. Next she drew the bird, first slitting the skin from the breast-bone to vent and cutting around the vent. Then inserting her hand into the cavity along the inside of the rib cage, she pulled out the innards. Carefully, Grandma removed the gizzard, heart, and liver and gut the greenish gall sack away from the liver. She removed lungs and the she reached way in, to the base of the bird’s neck, for the craw. Taking a turn around the windpipe with her index finger, she gingerly withdrew the craw and pipes. The hen was then ready to pot.” ~Grace Firth Living The Natural Life is full of memoirs such as this one and is a wonderful read for anyone interested in learning more about living harmoniously with their environment. It is also a strong reminder of the importance of not only preserving the Earth’s bounty with care, but being sure to uphold it’s natural course while continually replenishing it for those who will day inherit it. Unfortunately, Living The Natural Life, by Grace Firth is no longer in print, but I was able to locate a few copies through http://www.amazon.com/ Of course, you may always wander into your own local library and see if it is there. Even if you don’t find this particular book, I have no doubt that you may another one that is every bit as good, if not better…
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Here are the latest updates for ceressecrets.auto@blogger.com  Our Easter weekend was ice cold and blustery. Other then venturing out to Holmes County (home of The World’s Largest Amish Population as well as The World’s Largest Buffet) for canning supplies, we stayed home cringing in horror as last week’s perfect green grass and shivering little yellow dandelions were periodically buried under a light dusting of snow. We also mourned the Hyacinths outside our door that had been reduced to limp little stems lying defeated on the ground as their fragile purple flowers bowed down in defeat to winter’s last hoorah… The ten years we lived in Florida had long ago erased our childhood memories of spring weather like this, and we entertained thoughts of getting in the car, heading south, and not stopping until it was warm enough for shorts and sun-dresses. It seemed like a plan, until I spoke to my mother who reported that the cold front had reached it’s chilly fingers down to Orlando as well. Feeling defeated, we bundled up in a blanket on the couch and watched foreign films for much of the weekend. Wishing for spring and feeling just a bit cheated, I also retreated to the kitchen in hopes of re-creating just one more taste of it. I have since discovered that bright green perky little stalks of asparagus were made for days like this. Looking outside the kitchen window to see my world temporarily obscured by snow, I took my frustrations out on the asparagus by snapping off the woody ends. As I did so, I begrudgingly made peace with the seasons and all of their offerings. In total, I trimmed and prepared 7 pounds of asparagus to be picked and canned. It’s spring-time perfection restored my spirits and found that chopping the asparagus to fit neatly in my jars, quickly became a meditative act. Not wanting to waste the tender ends that had to be trimmed away, I set them aside till I had a moment to ponder their fate. While working, I thought of a very sweet friend of mine who teaches safe canning practices at her local county extension. She is an amazing woman who has really inspired, and empowered me to try my hand at canning and preserving food. With the patience of a saint, she singlehandedly talked me down from my fears of poisoning loved ones with pretty little jelly jars filled strawberry jam flavored Clostridium Botulinum. It was through her careful and meticulous instructions that I was slowly able to feel confident trying my hand at this art. With her guidance, last autumn, I successfully canned homemade Cinnamon Apple Sauce and immediately fell in love with the pleasure of preserving local produce at it’s peak. Every time I have opened a jar of that apple sauce, I have made a little wish for her and have since looked forward to trying my hand at some other canning projects as well. The recipe for Pickled Asparagus linked to below, was recommended by her and was very simple to make, even for a beginning canner like myself. Standing in the kitchen inhaling the aromatic fragrances of dill and vinegar while counting the pings as the newly canned jar lids sealed, I remembered her telling me that the sound of those pings was one of her favorite pleasures. She is definitely on to something, because with each ping, my heart felt lighter. There certainly is something deeply satisfying when the positive results of your efforts are audible. Somehow, I don’t think I could ever tire from hearing that sound… For the temporarily abandoned little asparagus bits, I chose to make a simple Creamy Asparagus Soup. My recipe is a very simple and quick compilation of many, yet it was a perfect reminder just how little needs to be done with those first fruits and vegetables of the season. For the rest of the weekend, we ate steaming hot bowls of it and felt even if for only a moment that we had cheated the weather and recaptured the sunnier days of spring… According to the Michigan Asparagus Advisory Board, “Asparagus is one of the most nutritionally well-balanced vegetables in existence. It leads nearly all produce items in the wide array of nutrients it supplies in significant amounts for a healthy diet.” Asparagus is especially high in Folacin also known as Folic Acid or B9. This vitamin is necessary in aiding the body in cell growth/division, the formation of red blood cells, and preventing birth defects as well as anemia. It is also known to aid the body in digestion, converting carbohydrates into glucose (sugar), ultimately fueling our bodies with the energy it need to shake off the sluggishness of winter and embrace the longer days of spring. This makes perfect sense if you consider that it is often one of the first vegetables found in the markets after a long winter. When buying Asparagus, there are three types that you may find in the market Green, White, and Purple. The most common one here in the states is Green Asparagus, it’s color coming from the photosynthesis of the sun. White Asparagus is more popular and more commonly found in Europe. It is cultivated by keeping it in the dark. Traditionally farmers would mound piles of dirt over the asparagus as they began to emerge from the ground. The lack of light and lack of photosynthesis kept these particular stalks from turning pink and then later green. Purple Asparagus, is said to have a 20% higher sugar content and is said to be delicious either raw or cooked. With all varieties, it is a common misconception that the thinner stalks are younger and more tender, when in all actuality it is the thicker stalks that have the best texture and flavor. Look for long healthy looking stalks that appear glossy, cut ends that are fresh, and have tight perfect heads . Like many fruits and vegetables, asparagus tends to lose it’s sweetness and quality the moment it is cut. When possible, buy locally and plan to use it fairly quickly. If you do need to store asparagus for a day or two, plan to keep it in the coldest part of your refrigerator, placing the stalks upright in a bowl filled with one-inch of cold water, and covered loosely with the produce bag it came in. Asparagus is also considered to be fairly easy to grow and is a perennial spring crop, making it one of the few vegetables that will return season after season. Although I have yet to try my hand at growing it, my father in law has a tiny little patch in the corner of his garden. He did not plant enough to get a decent harvest, but we all love the way it looks when it has overgrown, as it casts a soft lacey fern-like backdrop for the rest of the garden. If you are interested in cultivating your own you may wish to explore the Michigan Asparagus Advisory Board’s information and instructions regarding planting cultivating and harvesting asparagus.
Last but not least… The recipe for Pickled Asparagus and Safe Canning Guidelines for the Home Canner and A Simple and Deeply Satisfying Cream of Asparagus Soup 1 lb of Asparagus (May use the tender ends left over from making the Pickled Asparagus) 4 Cups of Chicken Stock or Porcini Mushroom Bullion Cubes made into a broth 1/2 Tsp. Salt 1/4 Tsp. Fresh Cracked Pepper 1/2 Cup of heavy cream or half and half 1 Tbs. Fresh cut chives to use as a garnish if desired Extra salt and pepper to taste Wash asparagus gently removing any dirt or sand. Snap off woody ends and break the asparagus by hand into 1-inch pieces. Meanwhile, bring the stock or broth to a boil in a med sized pot on the stove. Add salt, pepper, and asparagus to the pot and turn the temperature down to medium-high heat. Cook the asparagus for 8 minutes or until tender. Carefully blend with a hand held immersion blender or allow the soup to cool slightly and process soup in small batches using a blender. ( Be sure to vent often, so steam can escape.) Add cream and blend till combined. Add extra salt and pepper to taste and serve hot in deep bowls garnished with fresh chives. Enjoy!
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- Good Things Come From Whole Foods Market
- What Are You Really Feeding Your Family?
- The Seasonality of Spring Fruits and Vegetables
- Prelude to Spring
- Welcome to Ceres' Secrets
(photo courtesy of Whole Foods Market)
This past weekend I drove into Columbus to explore the nearest Whole Foods Market, hoping to find some GMO Free replacements for the items we had decided to eliminate from our diet. It has been years since we have lived within driving distance from a Whole Foods, but as soon as we walked through the doors, I remembered why it used to be one of our favorite places to shop. Navigating my grocery cart through the produce section, my senses were immersed in a rainbow of colors and instantly intermingled with the fragrances as well as the textures of some of the freshest, best looking produce I had seen since shopping the local Amish Farm Markets last summer. We are just entering into the first throes of spring here in the mid-west and it felt decadent to find produce that looked as if it had been picked just that morning. Without a second thought, I filled my cart with large healthy looking bunches of crisp organic arugula, bright orange carrots with green tops, red and gold Beets, green and white asparagus, no thicker than my baby finger, vibrant green leeks, perfect purple potatoes, luscious Texas grapefruits, and some of the largest, and sunniest Meyer Lemons I have ever seen. I was completely captivated by the variety of cage free eggs that had been gathered from a variety of birds both locally and abroad. There were several baskets filled with different shapes, sizes, and colors of eggs. I counted duck eggs, tiny quail eggs, goose eggs, and the most bizarre looking ones in the bunch were the dark green colossal sized Emu eggs. I thought they looked rather freaky looking and appeared as if they had been transported right out of a pre-historic era. I pushed my cart past them and considered maybe giving them a try one day if there was ever a food shortage and they were my last and only option for survival. I just can't even begin to imagine what they would taste like and I just don't think I want to give them a try. YUCK! Wandering further along through the store I happened upon the enormous seafood case. All of the fish within it looked like as if they had been swimming just moments before being displayed in that case. On the end was a fish that was every bit as big as I was, it's shiny eyes following me as I walked away… Of all of the Whole Foods Markets I have ventured into during our travels, none was as large or impressive as the one in Columbus. Shopping there was truly a pleasure and I have already decided that it is well worth the trip. I had absolutly no problem finding replacements for the Genetically Modified staples that we had chosen to give up and the prices were completely reasonable. I was surprised to find that I didn't have to spend a fortune to switch to these more natural and organic foods. Into my cart went, GMO Free Canola Oil, Soy Sauce, Peanut Butter, and a few other items. However, the true find of the day was the ketchup. Of all the foods we had planned to sacrifice it was the Genetically Modified Heinz Ketchup that seemed to be the hardest for us to part with. Remembering our attempts at finding an organic ketchup years ago, only to find them somewhat one dimensional, my husband and I, really thought that Heinz Ketchup was just going to have to be where we drew a line in the sand. We had already sort of made peace with the fact that Heinz Ketchup would just have to be our one secret sin. Steak- Frites would just not be the same with out it and life is just too short to live without some vices… So, when I spotted the very last bottle of Heinz Organic Ketchup on the shelf, I could swear that I heard angels in heaven singing songs of our redemption and it was in that moment that I knew that the last bottle on that shelf was destined to go home with me. Eating Steak-Frites for dinner that night I had to smile looking at the bottle… The label read "EST 1869." Somehow, I can not help but wonder if "Organic" was just a part of the original recipe… It definitely does taste better! 
(photo courtesy of Heinz)
Heinz Ketchup Goes Organic Whole Foods Market
(photo courtesy USDA.GOV)
Once upon a time, well actually, less than a century ago, our ancestors knew how to farm the land with out the use of chemical fertilizers, weed killers, excessive pesticides, and genetically modified seeds (seeds that had been scientifically and biologically altered from their natural state). Farmers as they had for many generations before them, saved the seeds from their own heirloom crops from year to year. They nurtured their land, farmed responsibly, and provided food for their families as well as the local community. People ate with the seasons, preserved the bumper crops, and food did not typically travel more then 50 miles to the table it would eventually be served on. Today life is much different then it was in those good old days. Science, industry, technology, and the population have all experienced rapid growth. Our communities are no longer self sustaining and many of the things we buy including our food, comes from other countries. The contents in an average bag of groceries has often traveled over 1,500 miles before it has found its way into our home and many of the items we buy are made with ingredients we can not pronounce. The safety and integrity of these products are no longer in the hands of the traditional farmer, but in the hands of major agricultural companies such as Monsanto. Companies that play an interesting role in the future development of farming practices and the current production of many of the United States’ major crops. (more…)
If you have ever tasted the delicate flavor of the first baby lettuce of the season or have experienced the joy of standing in a backyard garden while eating early garden peas right from the pod, then you know the pleasure the first crops of Spring can bring. Truly nothing can compare with how complex, rich, and concentrated their flavors are, especially just moments after they have been harvested. The first produce to hit the local markets is bright, colorful, and crisp, its aroma alone could almost be considered hypnotic. Strolling through the farmers market it takes quite a bit of restraint not to overfill your basket and just run with it like there is no tomorrow. Instinctively, our bodies seem to respond to this colorful array with a pent up longing for the potent vitamins and minerals that we have been lacking through most of the winter. Not surprisingly, the items you find will offer your body exactly what it needs to shake off the last of the winter blues, energizing you for the longer days ahead. If ever there was a time to temporarily discard recipes, prepare food by instinct, and serve it closest to its natural state, this would be the time. A light splash of lemon juice, a good olive oil, and the tiniest bit of sea salt is all you need to dress a salad right now. There is no need for anything complicated, the greens which are always most tender in the spring, speak volumes all on their own. The fruit is absolutely luscious and seductive dripping with juices when you bite or cut into it. Drizzle raspberries with the tiniest bit of local honey and serve them on thin baguette slices, which have been spread with an almost sheer layer of mascarpone cheese… one of my all time favorite treats! Truly, with very little effort, it is really quite painless to eat like kings and queens when you pause from cooking and merely assemble your food. (more…)
Sometimes I like to pause, take a deep breath, and really give my senses a few minutes to absorb and truly connect to the moment I am in… Today as I do this, I reflect that Spring is still a couple of days away, yet it is warm enough to have opened some windows. I watch entranced, as our sheer white curtains are illuminated with the sunlight and billow softly in the breeze. The air around me is ionized and literally charged with the fore coming birth of a new season. Outside my window, the bright cornflower blue sky drapes over my city like a luxurious swatch of rare silk. Resting below it are the new blades of bright green grass that carpet the freshly awakened rich black soil, bestowing on it a sense of renewal and no doubt setting the stage for what will be a brilliant performance in the days and weeks ahead. Listening closely I hear the faint flutter of wings and the chirping of baby robins just a few feet away. (more…)
Who I am not: I am not a chef, I have never been classically trained in a 5 star culinary school in an exotic location, I do not own or work in a trendy café, I have never worked on a farm, or run a booth at a local produce market, my gardening attempts are amateur at best, and I can honestly say that I have never really written for an audience before. Who I am: I am a home cook that is very passionate when it comes to the food I make and serve those I love. I believe Saturday mornings were created to be spent leisurely wandering through a local produce market or farm stand absorbing the sights, colors, fragrances, and flavors of the season. When traveling or on vacation, the local markets are always high on my list of tourist attractions. My poor husband has been dragged through so many of them, that I have often wondered if maybe he wishes he married another woman, the one that can not stand to cook and does not created mountains of dishes and ransack the kitchen from time to time.
(more…)
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